Stem gripper block



Aug. 1l, 1942. R. E RUNDELL 2,293,011

I STEM GEIPPER lBLOC):

Filed June 22, 1939 s` sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR RUPERT E.RUNDELL BY W ATTORN EY Aug- 11, 1942. R. E. RUNDELL 2,293,011

STEM GRIPPER BLOCK Filed June 22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

` INV'NTOR RUPERT E,RUNDELL.

BY l, n 54,

TTORNEY Aug- 11 1942- R. E. RUNDELL y 2,293,011

STEM GRIPPER BLOCK Filed June 22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR RUPERT E.RUNDELL BY ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 1l, 1942 STEM Galerne BLOCK Rupert E. Rendell, Rockville Centre, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 22, 1939, Serial No. 280,1i63

(Cl. IBI-128) 18 Claims.

This invention relates to tobacco stripping machines and particularly to the stern gripper mechanism which grips the heavy, undesirable portion of the stern and strips it from the tobacco leaf. The main object of this invention is to provide sai-d gripper mechanism with a series of rows of opposed, relatively yielding grippers which assure better gripping vand stripping action. Heretofore, with a stem gripper block having a series of rows of stationary teeth with which rows of rigid teeth on spring-actuated slides coact to seize the Stemat various points along its length, whenever a broken stem lodged between any stationary gripper and its corresponding movable gripper or when debris accumulated therebetween, the movable Agrippers of that row would remain open and fail to seize the stern. With relatively yielding grippers the presence of .a broken stem portion or debris would not prevent closure of the entire row of grippers, and the ilexure of the clogged gripper would permit proper closure of the other grippers oi the row.

In previous stem gripper block constructions, when the drum carrying the gripper block was operated at higher or lower speeds than its normal speed, which may be 6D revolutions per minute, there was no adjustment of the cam controlling the closure of the grippers on the successive slides to cause seizure of the Various portions of the stern at the horizontal center line of the drum. rlhe tobacco leaf is advanced on a suction drum opposite the gripper drum and the various points of its stern should be seized along the horizontal center line of the two drums. Otherwise the grippers will fail to grip the stem properly at all points along its length and a portion of the stem may be broken off and left in the grippers. When the earn rollers on the slides carrying the grippers ride off a dip in the cam which permits sudden closure of their grippers and seizure of the stern, they follow diiierent paths at different speeds of the drum until they ire-engage the cam. Thus the point Iof re-engagement or closure of the grippers may vary for different speeds. Another important object of the invention therefore is to provide circumferential adjustment of the cam engaging the rollers on the gripper-carrying Vslides of the gripper drum to permit closure yof the grippers at the same point at various speeds of rotation.

A further object is to regulate the point at which the stem is seized behind the tip of the leaf to vary the amount of stem leit therein by circumierentially adjusting the gripper drum to advance or retard the rotation of the grippers relative to the advancing leaves, and by utilizing this same adjusting means to compensate for Variations in the length of the leaves. Still another object is to vary the clearance between the parting roller and suction drum at the operative position of the former.

With these and other ole-jects not speciically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then speciiically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which forni a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. l is a plan view of the gripper block and gripper drum;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the gripper drum shown in conjunction with `a section of the suction drum;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation showing the gripper teeth during operation;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic end elevation, partly in section, showing a stem removing unit `during operation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation illustrating the operating, driving and adjusting means for the gripper block and gripper drum;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the adjusting screw of the gripper drum housing;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing the parting roller and its operating and driving mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same, taken on line l-T of Fig. 6.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the gripper block consists of a base plate It secured to a gripper drum I l mounted on a shaft l2. To the bottom of a channel in the periphery of said base plate are fastened a number of bars I3 each of which carries a row oi integral gripper lugs or teeth M having a triangular cross-section. Bars i3 are so arranged as to form, together with grooves Ia in base plate I9, Figs. 2 and Il, a number of slots l5 in each of which is slidably supported a gripper bar It. Each gripper bar I6 carries on one end a stud Il, and on its other end has formed a fork I8 supporting a conical cam roller i9. The side edges of each gripper bar are provided with a number of vertical notches 2t, (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) in each of which, by means of lock pins 2| driven through strips Ila which extendalong the sides of the bars Iii (Fig. 3) and are located within the slots Ita (Fig. 2)V is secured a flat gripper tooth 22 formed of steel or other flexible or resilient material. In normal or closed position each of the gripper teeth 22 formed on the gripper bars I6 engages with an overhanging end of the corresponding stationary gripper lugs Id. The gripper bars It are actuated by a stationary cam 23 contacting rollers IS to move the teeth out of closed position at the desired moment. Cam 23 is adjustable axially on a housing 24 secured to the main frame 25 of the machine. Each gripper bar I6 is provided with a compression spring 26 (Fig. 5) urging it against the cam 23 and permitting the gripping pressure of the corresponding row of teeth to be regulated. Said compression springs 2S are supported in bores in base plate II) and the compression of each individual spring can easily be regulated by means of an adjustable stud 2l threaded into said bores and bearing against the inner ends of the springs (Figs. 2 and The free end of each stud portion il of gripper bars i6 carries an adjustable cone 2! each of which, at normal or closed position engages with a conical seat 29 in a plate 39 secured to base plate I5). Each cone 28, by means of a pair of lock nuts 3| on the studs Il can be set to effect any desirable clearance or degree of contact of teeth 22 with gripper lugs I4. Cones 28 in conjunction with conical seats 29 have furthermore the decided advantage of being selfbinding due to friction between the cones and seats and thereby curtail any bouncing of the gripper bars I8 during their sudden release and the resulting noise.

The gripper block rotates with the gripper drum II in the direction indicated by arrows and the tobacco leaves L are fed towards the same by a pair of conveyor belts 32 (Fig. 4) constantly driven by means of pulleys 33 and 34 in the direction also indicated by arrows. Said conveyor belts deliver the leaf L on to a horizontal rotating suction drum 35 which brings the tip of said tobacco leaf in Contact with a guide sector or so-called apron 35 which is mounted on the gripper drum II, ahead of the above described grippe-r block. Said apron 36 is employed for the purpose of pressing the tip of the leaf smoothly on to the suction drum so the latter can guide and deliver said leaf in a smooth and desirable manner on to a leaf guide and delivery belt 3l. The latter contacts the lower portion of said suotion drum and travels at the same speed as the latter.

In order to prevent the leaf from adhering to the apron 35, the latter on its leaf contact surface is provided with a number of ribs 38 (Fig. l). The remaining surface of the gripper drum II is surrounded by a leaf guide and supporting sector 39. The suction drum 35 communicates with a standard suction fan (not shown) through a pipe 62a to create suction in the interior of the drum and in a number of holes it in its periphery. Against the inner surface of said drum rests a stationary valve plate @I for the purpose of localizing the suction to the operating sector of the drum.

As the tip is a tender and therefore a desirable and valuable part of a tobacco leaf, it is desirable t0 leave said tip whole and to start ripping the stem from the leaf only at a point where said stem becomes too thick and heavy. Therefore the gripper drum is timed so that the gripper bars on the gripper block begin seizing the stem just about at that particular portion of the leaf. At this moment the roller I9 thereon engages with cam 23 and causes teeth 22 to open (Fig. 5).

The heavy portion of the stem will now be able to enter between one or more of the open teeth of the successive gripper bars which, as rollers I9 leave cam 23, will grip said stem and carry it along while the leaf portion still adheres to the suction drum 35, thus causing the stripping of stem S from the leaf.

In order to prevent cutting or injuring an irregularly traveling or crooked stem by the gripper lugs I4 during the Contact of the latter with the leaf, each gripper lug is provided with a recess or depression 42 which permits the stem to contact the gripper block and nds its way into the open teeth even at a diagonal angle without the danger of cutting any portion of the stem. The teeth are so arranged that even a broken stem or portions thereof cannot escape the grip of the teeth and a clean removal of all heavy stems or portions thereof is assured. The individual flexibility of teeth 22 guarantee a perfect grip no matter how much the thickness of a stem may vary in its different portions. Even if one or more of the teeth of any gripper bar are held open by a foreign object which has wedged itself between them, the remaining teeth still can grip and function properly.

In order to avoid any accumulation of dirt or other foreign substances at the Contact edges of teeth 22 in slots 2U, which would prevent proper closing of said teeth, a resilient shielding plate 43 (Fig. 3) fastened to said edges covers the open gap of slot 2! while said teeth are held in an open position thus assuring a better and more efficient operation. Another advantage of these flexible, individually mounted teeth lies in the fact that these teeth cannot break as easily as the solid ones used heretofore and any one of them can easily be removed and replaced without the necessity of replacing the entire gripper bar.

As mentioned heretofore, the gripper block setting, that is the timing of the contact of said block with the leaf forwarded on the suction drum, can easily be adjusted to suit the requirements of the different lengths of stem to be left in the tips of the tobacco leaves by advancing or retarding the shaft l2 carrying the gripper drum, and shaft I2 may likewise be turned forwardly or backwardly to compensate for variations in the lengths of the leaves to permit the leaf stem to be initially gripped at the same distance from the tip and thus leave the same amount of stem in the tip ends of the various lengths of leaves. Gn shaft I2 is fixed a solid disk 44 (Fig. 5) provided with a lug 45 which carries a spring mounted plunger 46. The latter carries a knob 41 which may be grasped to bring the plunger in engagement with any of the holes 48 provided in the driving disk 49. The latter is loosely mounted on shaft i2 and carries on its hub a sprocket 50 which is driven by means of a chain (not shown) from the main drive of the machine. Thus upon disengaging the plunger 46 from the disk 49, the shaft I2 may be turned forwardly or backwardly to the desired position to vary the point at which the stem is initially gripped and thereby vary the amount of stem left in the leaf, or to leave the same amount of stem left in the tip ends of various lengths of leaves.

In order to facilitate the stripping process and assure a smooth and clean tearing action, a rotating as well as reciprocating parting roller 5I is brought into contact at the stripping point immediately after the stem is gripped between gripper lugs I4 and teeth 22 and the stripping action has started. Said roller I is more or less wedged in between the leaf and the stripped stern, and rotating at high speed, it actually parts the leaf from the stem and also prevents split stems as well as tearing of leaf portions, `thus assuring a better yield of stripped leaf tobacco. The reciprocating action of said parting roller 5| prevents the formation and concentration of gum and dirt in certain spots and,` by passing it over a couple of moist felt pads 52 (Fig. 6), the entire length of the roller is thoroughly and automatically kept clean at all times. Parting roller 5| is loosely supported by a sleeve 53 and slidably keyed to another sleeve 55. The latter is secured to a bushing 55 while sleeve 53 is attached to a bushing 55 which is supported iin bearing of an arm 51 while bushing 55 is supported in bearings of an arm 56. Both arms 51 and 55 are mounted on a horizontal shaft 59 supported by a pair of bearing brackets 5|) attached to the main frame 25 of the machine. Roller 5| is rotated by a pulley 5| mounted on bushing 55. Pulley 5i is driven through a belt 52 from a pulley 53 loosely mounted on shaft 55. ToV pulley 53 is attached a second pulley 55 (Fig. 6) which, through a belt 55, is driven from the main drive of the machine. To each end of parting roller 5| is loosely attached a bearing and guide lug |55 (Figs. 6 Yand '1), each of which engage with a groove in a supporting arm 61, each of which by a thumb screw 58 is detachably mounted on a guide bracket 59. Both of the latter are connected by a rod and each bracket 69 is furthermore slidably suported by a guide rail 1|, both of which are secured to the main frame 25. with a fork 12 which through a link 15 is connected to a cam lever 14 by means of which parting roller 5| is reciprocated. Rod 15 is slidably supported by a pair of bearing brackets 54 secured to main fram-e 25. Thus upon removing the nuts threaded upon the ends of the roller 5| projecting from the bearing lugs 55, the roller may be removed axially therefrom. Each of the two felt pads 52 which contact roller 5| for cleaning purposes are held by a receptacle 15 each of which is secured to a supporting plate 15. One of the latter is fastened to arm 51 while the other is attached to arm 55. Into each receptacle 52 leads a tube 11 through which `a controlled amount of water is fed to said felt pads, thus keeping the latter moist and saturated. As mentioned heretofore, the parting roller 5| during the stripping operation is in contact with the tobacco leaf and therefore sufficiently close to the suction drum 55 to prevent said leaf from being pulled away from said drum. In order to let the tip of the leaf adhering to the suction drum pass without disturbance, the roller 5I must be lowered and the latter is raised and brought in contact with the tobacco leaf only after the gripper teeth of the gripper block have started to pull the stern S away from the leaf. This raising and lowering of roller 5| is achieved through the action of a bell crank lever 13, one arm of which, through a link 15, is connected to arm 55. The other arm of said bell crank lever, through a rod 85, is connected to a lever 5| mounted on a shaft 52 (Fig. 7). The latter is actuated by a cam lever 53 carrying a cam roller 84 which is held in engagement with a cam 55 mounted on shaft I2 by a tension spring 55a whereby the parting roller is free to yield sufficiently to permit the passage of unstemmed leaves without crushing their stems. Shaft 82 is supported by a pair of bearing brackets 85 secured to the main frame 25 of One end of rod 15 is provided f the machine. Bell crank lever 13 is mounted on a shaft 81 also supported by a pair of bearing brackets 88 fastened to the main frame 25.

l'n order to control the position of the parting roller 5| so it will have a rolling contact with the suction drum 35 while the former is in its raised position, arm 58 is equipped with a lug 89 which carries an adjustable stop screw 90. The detachable mounting of the parting roller described above permits replacement by a clean roller when the'accumulaticn of gummy substance thereon renders it necessary for the proper operation of the roller.

In order to clean the gripper block and eject the stern from the gripper teeth, said gripper block, during each cycle, contacts a set of rotating star wheels 53 (Fig. 4) traveling in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 4, the delivery belt 51 (Fig. 4) carrying away the stripped tobacco leaves P being driven in synchronism with drum and guided on to the lower portion of the same by means of pulleys 5| and 52.

It is essential for proper operation that the teeth 22 of the successive gripper bars i5 seize the leaf stein at the moment they reach the horizontal center line of the suction and gripper ruins. Upon unloosening the bolt |55 clamping together the ends mi of the split hub of the cam 25 (Fig. l) the latter may be turned circumferentially to permit the teeth en the gripper bars to seize the various portions of the stern at said horizontal center line. If the closure of the gripper teeth should occur before or after they reach this point the stem may not be gripped at all. However when this adjustment has, been made for one speed of the drum it will be necessary to make a further adjustment for other speeds. As the cam rollers l5 drop into the depression of the cam 25 (Fig. l) the gripper bars may reach the horizontal center line too soon or too late,y depending upon whether the gripper drum speed is higher or lower than the speed at which. the circumferential adjustment of the cam 25 was initially made. This results from the variable component of speed of rotation and the constant axial component of the speed at which the gripper bars snap into engagement with the stem as they ride off the cam 25. Thus the resultant motion of the gripper bars may cause them to grip the stern ahead of or beyond the horizontal line. Therefore the cam should be turned backward or forward respectively, to cause the seizure of the stem to occur on the horizontal center line.

The axial adjustment of the cam 25, obtained with the adjusting screw 55 shown in Fig. l permits the position thereof in position to coact with its cam rollers 55 in the various positions of circumferential adjustment. It is desirable that there be no axial adjustment of the gripper drum since the star wheels 53 are fixed in position to clean the gripper block. Moreover, the cam 23 should be adjusted axially sufficiently to cause retraction of the yieldable rippers into alignment with the stationary grippers of the saine row and the next row, to pass the ster wheels without interference.

A bodily adjustment of the gripper' drum toward the suction drum transversely is atte d with an adjusting screw |55 having a fine th.. (Fig, 8) threaded into base of lcmusinfT Thus the tips of the grippers be set witi a predetermined space from the suction drum such as .GOS-.O12 inch.

lt may be noted that the abutments i5 in the successive rows thereof are aligned with each other and that when the grippers are opened by the engagement of the cam rollers I9 on their slides I6 with the cam 23, that the exposed ends vof grippers are aligned with the end of the adjacent abutment in the same row and the abutment in the next row opposing said adjacent abutment of the same row. Thus the open grippers are able to pass the star wheels 93 without interference.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary drum provided with a series of rows of abutments thereon, of sets of yielding gripper members coacting with said abutments to seize a tobacco leaf stem at various points along its length and strip the same from a tobacco leaf, said abutments including gripper teeth having portions projecting across said gripper members for co-action therewith in gripping a leaf stem and having indentations in their operative faces behind said projecting portions adapted to admit crooked stems and the stems f skewed leaves and guide the stems between the abutments and their corresponding gripper members, and means for advancing an outspread tobacco leaf to present its stem into the range of action of said gripper members and coacting abutments.

2. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary drum provided with a series of abutments thereon, of a set of gripper members coacting with said abutments to seize a tobacco leaf stem at various points along its length an-d strip the same from a tobacco leaf, means for moving said gripper members into stern-gripping relation to said abutments and retaining them in stem-gripping position, said means including spring-pressed slides whereon said grippers are mounted, a cam for retracting said slides to disengage said grippers from said abutments and releasing said slides to permit reengagement of said grippers and abutments, tapered plugs attached to said slides, and tapered seats arranged to admit said plugs and bind the same to curtail rebounding of the grippers from said abutments when the slides are released, and means for advancing an outspread tobacco leaf to present its stem into the range of action of said gripper members and coacting abutments.

3. In a stemming machine, the combination with members coacting to feed tobacco leaves tip first, of a rotary drum provided with a series of rows of abutments thereon, sets of gripper members coacting with said abutments to seize the stem of a tobacco leaf advanced by said members at various points along its length and strip the same therefrom, and means for adjusting said drum circumferentially to vary the point at which the tobacco stem is initially seized, and means for advancing an outspread tobacco leaf to present its stem into the range of action of said gripper members and coacting abutments.

4f. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary drum provided with a series of abutments thereon, of a set of flexible gripper members coacting with said abutments to seize a tobacco leaf stem at various points along its length and strip the same from a tobacco leaf, andmeans for moving said gripper members into stem-gripping relation to said abutments, said means including slides provided with notches extending radially of said drum wherein one end of said gripper members is fastened, said notches being wide enough to permit ilexure of said grippers when they grip a leaf stem against their corresponding abutments, and shielding plates fastened to said grippers to cover the gaps eX- posed in the notches during the flexure of said grippers, and means for advancing an outspread tobacco leaf to present its stem into the range of action of said gripper members and coacting abutments.

5. In a stemming machine, the combinationwith a rotary suction drum acting to advance a tobacco leaf, of a rotary drum equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, a parting roller disposed at the juncture of the leaf and the stem being stripped therefrom, and means for reciprocating said roller axially.

6. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary suction drum acting to advance a tobacco leaf, of a rotary drum equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, a parting roller disposed at the juncture of the leaf and the stem being stripped therefrom, and means for reciprocating said roller axially, and means for moistening and cleaning said roller.

'7. In a stemming machine, the combination with a suction drum rotating on a stationary axis and acting to advance a tobacco leaf, of a rotary drum rotating on a stationary axis and equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, a parting roller disposed at the juncture of the leaf and the stem being stripped therefrom, and means for moving said roller in and out of operative relation with regard to said drums.

8. In a stemming machine, the combination with a suction drum rotating on a stationary axis and acting to advance a tobacco leaf, of a rotary drum rotating on a stationary axis and equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, a parting roller disposed at the juncture of the leaf and the stem being stripped therefrom, and means for moving said roller in and out of operative relation with regard to said drums, said means being adjustable to move the said roller into rolling contact with said suction drum.

9. In a stemming machine, the combination with a suction drum acting to advance a tobacco leaf, of a rotary drum equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, a parting roller disposed at the juncture of the leaf and the stem being stripped therefrom, yielding means for moving said roller in and out of operative relation with respect to said drums, and an adjustable device for limiting the movement of said roller toward operative position to regulate the operative position thereof.

10. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, the combination with members for moving the stem and web of a tobacco leaf in diverging paths to strip the stem from the web, of an axially reciprocating member engaging the juncture of the web and stem to part the same during the diverging movement thereof, and means for reciprocating said member axially.

11. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, the combination with members for moving the stem and web of a tobacco leaf in diverging paths to strip the stem from the web, of a roller engaging the juncture of the stem and web to part the same during the diverging movement thereof, means for moving said roller out of operative position periodically to permit passage of the tip end of the leaf without stemming thereof and then returning the roller to operative position, and a device for adjusting said means to regulate the extent of movement of the roller toward operative position.

12. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary member acting to advance a tobacco leaf endwise, of a rotary drum disposed opposite said member and equipped with a series of abutments thereon, a set of grippers coacting with said abutments to seize at various points along its length the stem of the tobacco leaf advanced by said member and strip the same from said leaf, and means for moving said grippers into stem-gripping relation to said abutments, said means including a stationary cam connected to said grippers and adapted to retract them from said abutments to admit said leaf stem and suddenly release the grippers successively to permit them to seize the stem of the tobacco leaf advanced by said member, said cam being adjustable circumferentially to permit the stem to be initially seized at the same point at various speeds of said drum.

13. In a stemming machine, the combination with a suction drum rotating on a stationary axis and acting to advance a tobacco leaf tip rst, of a rotary member equipped with grippers adapted to seize the stem of the leaf on said suction drum and strip the same therefrom, said member being provided with an arcuate apron ahead of said grippers and provided with spaced circumferential rbs arranged to press the tip of the leaf smoothly upon said drum, and an endless belt partially encircling said drum and arranged to admit the tip of the leaf between it and the drum and coacting with the drum to `advance the stripped leaf to a predetermined position.

14. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, the combination with members for moving the stem and web of a tobacco leaf in diverging paths to strip the stem from the web, of an axially reciprocating member -engaging the juncture of the web and stem to part the same during the diverging movement thereof, and means wherefrom said member is detachable and movable axially for imparting an axially reciprocating motion thereto.

15. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, the combination with members for moving the stem and web of a tobacco leaf in diverging paths to strip the stem from the web, of an axially reciprocating member engaging the juncture of the web and stem to part the same duringl the diverging movement thereof, and means for imparting a rotating motion to said member.

16. In a stemming machine, the combination with means for feeding tobacco leaves tip first, of members traveling in an endless path and co acting to seize the stem of the leaf advanced by said means behind the tip thereof and move it in a path diverging from the path of the leaves advanced by said means to strip the stem from the leaf, and mechanism for adjusting said members forwardly or backwardly in their path of travel to seize the stems of leaves of varying lengths at a predetermined point behind their tips.

17. In a stemming machine, the combination with a rotary drum provided with a series of rows of abutments thereon, of sets of individually yieldable grippers coacting with said abutments to seize a tobacco leaf stem at various points along its length and strip the same from a tobacco leaf, said abutments projecting across the path of movement of said grippers, yielding means for urging said grippers towards said abutments to grip a tobacco leaf stem thereagainst, and means for advancing an outspread tobacco leaf to present its stem into the range of action of said gripper members and coacting abutments.

18. In a stemming machine, the combination with a member for advancing a tobacco leaf, of f a series of horizontal rows of opposed pairs of relatively movable grippers, some of the grippers of `each row having individual yielding characteristics, means for advancing said rows of grippers in a path diverging from the path of said member, each pair of grippers in the various rows being adapted to seize the stem of the leaf advanced by said member at various points along its length and strip the same therefrom, mechanism for opening said grippers to admit said leaf stem, and means adapted to impart to each horizontal row of grippers additional yielding characteristics closing said grippers to seize said leaf stem and strip the same from the leaf advanced by said member.

RUPERT E. RUNDELL. 

